ImAi – Validation of an impedance-based eye damage test to detect all GHS categories
Funding by: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Funding period: 2020 - 2023
Coordinator: Fraunhofer ISC, Germany
Press release:
Aim
Development and prevalidation of a test method for the assessment of chemicals that can cause reversible (irritant substances) or persistent (corrosive substances) damage to the eye. Currently available alternative methods do not allow a clear identification of irritating substances or persistent substances that show their permanently damaging effect only over a longer period of time. The impedance-based ocular injury assay (ImAi), in which changes in an in vitro cornea model are analyzed by non-invasive impedance spectroscopy, allows continuous investigation of the effects of chemicals over several weeks and thus potentially also the detection of reversible as well as persistent effects of chemicals on the eye.
3R Relevance
If successfully validated, the method would be suitable to further reduce and replace the animal "Draize Eye Test" for the determination of eye irritant/corrosive properties, which is performed on rabbits.